The Fastpitch Chronicle

Poynette Holds off Lakeside Lut heran 13-9, Tomlinson gets 600th win

After losing two games in a row the Pumas’ looked to get back on track with a trip to Lakeside Lutheran. Poynette sent freshan pitcher Ashley Hellenbrand to the circle to take on an excellent hitting Warrior outfit.

Hellenbrand was up to the task early as she shutout the Warriors through five innings.

In the meantime Poynette plated two earned runs of Hollie Doyle in the top of the first when with two outs Haley Radewan rattled the chain-link fenc e in leftcenter for a double. Brooke Dredske followed that with a double of her own that banged off the fenc ein center trading places with Radewan. Abby Neabling then singled , sending Dredske to third and on a delayed steal Neabling drew a throw and Dredske beat the return throw to theplate.

In the Poynette thrid Meagan Brookins worked Doyle for a base on balls and moved to second on a sacrfice by Rachel Renz. Dredske then hit a ball to short that saw Brookins make it home. In the top of the fourth inning leftfielder Allison Tomlinson hit a high one that just cleared the chain-link in left for a 4-0 Puma lead.

In the top of the sixth the Pumas caught some life when Neabling opended the frame with a two-strike line drive blast that wound up in the low area between the softball and baseball outfield fences. That got the Pumas going as Riley Barnharst singled as did pinch hitter Jordan Horne. While attempting to sacrifice the runners, Tomlinson beat out a perfectly placed bunt. Sidney Gorman then collected a fielder’s choice that saw Barnharst retired at third base. Next up was Maegan Brookins who last night hit a pair of dingers against Marshall. In this particular at bat Brookins launched a bomb over the fence in leftcenter for a grand slam home run. Making the score 9-0. Renz walked followin the blast and a pitching change that saw Brett Burger in the circle. A single by Radewan and a shot just to the left of the shorstop off the bat of Dredske moved Renz around to score the 10th run.

But the Warriors showed some mettle as they mounted a rally against Hellenbrand. Kelsey Birshbach got things rolling with a shot off the glove of the third sacker and when a slow roller to short was tossed to second Birschbach beat that throw. Kaity Birkholz then singled to center and the ball got through the legs of the outfielder and when Ashley Kohls doubled another run scored. Hannah Hamilton the singled and the hit parade was on. Burger then singled and there were still no outs. Doyle moved the runners along but was retired on the sacrifice bunt.  Becca Doering, Lakeside’s dangerous leadoff hitter then singled sharply to right plating two more runs but she was retired on a fielder’s choice to short off the bat of Arielle Stai. Birschbach then singled to score more and the inning finally ended with a ground out to second. The Warriors turned what looked like a mercy rule game into a 10-6 game.

“It was reminding me of a game with Lakeside three seasons ago in Poynette where the Warriors were nearly beaten in five innings but rallied to win that game,” said Head Coach Bob Tomlinson. It seemed like the ball just had eyes in that sixth.”

The Pumas turned things around by scoring three in the top of the seventh and it was just enough cushion to hold off the Warriors who also weren’t finished.

In the Poynette seventh Barnharst grounded to third, Hellenbrand drew a base on balls as did Tomlinson. Gorman went down swinging but Brookins came through with an rbi single and Renz followed with an infield slap that was then thrown away at first. Neabling hit a ball that  was booted at shortstop and the Pumas suddenly had a 13-6 lead with half an inning to play.

Birkholz was hit in the foot by an Hellenbrand slant and that got things rolling, as it usually does. Ashley Kohls followed with a flyball to left that was dropped and Hamilton then singled to keep things alive for Lakeside. Burger went down 5-3 but plated a run and Doyle singled in two more. Poynette switched pitchers as Haley Radewan came on a coaxed an unassisted grounder to first and got Stai to ground out to short ending the game at 13-9.

It marked the 600th time that a Poynette varsity softball team had won a game since 1980 under head coach Bob Tomlinson. “It just really means I’ve been around for a long, long time and have seen a lot of really excellent softball players compete on the fields in this state,” said the coach. “It’s been a great time watching our kids and the kids we’ve competed with over the years. We’ve seen lots of coaches come and go, lots of umpires come and go and I’ve enjoyed nearly every moment.”

Tomlinson mentioned all the coaches who have been a part of the program throughout the years as well. "They've all been a the biggest part of this program," said the coach.